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Preschool Lesson Plans

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Story Stones

​Lesson Plan:

Story Stones

​Age Group:

Preschool

Objective:  ​

​Children will:

• understand and express their emotions through a creative and engaging activity.

​CDA Competency Standard:

III.8.2b

• Candidate's interactions help children develop positive self-concepts..

b) Shows sensitivity to and acceptance of each child's feelings and needs.
example: Helps children understand and appropriately express their own feelings.

Materials:​

• Rocks
• Acrylic paint or sharpies

Procedure: ​

1. Introduction: Begin the lesson by explaining the importance of understanding and expressing our emotions. Introduce the concept of Story Stones and how they will be used to explore different emotions.
2. Activity: Distribute the rocks and painting materials among the children. Instruct them to paint different facial expressions on each rock. For example, one rock could be smiling, another could be sad, one could have a silly tongue sticking out, and another could have a surprised face. Encourage creativity and individual expression.
3. Discussion: Once the paint has dried, gather the children for a discussion. Pick up each stone, identify the emotion it represents, and share a personal story related to that emotion. For example, “This stone shows crying eyes. This stone is sad. I was sad when we moved houses because I loved our previous home. When I’m sad, I sometimes cry and feel down. Do you ever get sad?”
4. Reflection: Encourage the children to pick up each stone, mimic the face they see, and share a time when they felt that way. This activity not only helps children understand their emotions but also encourages them to share their feelings.

Closure: Conclude the lesson by emphasizing the importance of recognizing and expressing our emotions. Let the children know that they can refer to these stones whenever they want to talk about their feelings but are finding it hard to express them.

​Follow-Up: Keep the Story Stones in a common area where children can access them easily. Use them as conversation starters to discuss emotions and feelings in the future.

Assessment: 

Observe and record the children's variety of emotions painted.
Were the children able to make facial expressions to match the painted emotions?
When relating their emotions were they able to express a story that fit the emotion shared?

​Online Early Childhood Education
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Building Self-Awareness in Young Children

Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand one's own emotions. It involves being mindful of how emotions influence thoughts and behaviors. In early childhood, developing self-awareness helps children identify their feelings and express them appropriately. Activities like emotion matching games, reflective journaling, and guided discussions can support the growth of self-awareness, enabling children to navigate their emotions with confidence and clarity.​

​Developing self-awareness begins with understanding emotions. Young children need guidance to recognize and name their feelings accurately. Educators and caregivers can introduce basic emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, and fear, and help children associate these emotions with their own experiences. Using visual aids like emotion charts and facial expression cards can be effective in teaching children to identify and name their feelings. Encouraging children to use "I feel" statements, such as "I feel happy when I play with my friends," helps them articulate their emotions and understand their sources.